B*Witched star Edele’s advice for One Direction

B*Witched star Edele Lynch has warned 1D to seek counselling to help them cope with fame

Watching Keavy deteriorate to the brink of suicide was the hardest thing to handle

She fears they could face a future of breakdowns, rehab and suicidal thoughts if the band ever split.

Lead singer Edele, 34, twin sister Keavy, Sinead O’Carroll, 39, and ­Lindsay Armaou, 36, sold more than 12million records, had four ­consecutive No.1 singles and ­conquered America in the late ’90s.

The Irish group are making a comeback on ITV2 show The Big Reunion alongside 5ive, Atomic Kitten, 911, Liberty X and The Honeyz.

Edele said 1D and other young pop stars must seek counselling to stop them suffering from depression and alcohol abuse like many of The Big Reunion groups currently on tour.

“I’m more comforted than surprised that all the bands doing Big Reunion have been through the same,” she said.

“It’s very sad that there was this huge pop era of the ’90s where everyone ended up a mess. A record deal should come with counselling, it really should. You should get constant help throughout your time as a pop star, not just afterwards.

“You have all your life planned for you with no free time and then all of a sudden you are dropped and have no idea how to cope with life.”

Of her time with the band, she said: “For four years we were working 15-hour days and didn’t have to do anything for ourselves. It sounds stupid but at the end of it you don’t know who you actually are.

“I remember going to the ­supermarket for the first time and thinking everyone was staring at me because I didn’t know what I was ­doing.

“It sounds crazy but the amount of paranoia going back into the real world, not knowing how to fit into it, was very intense.”

After B*Witched were dropped in 2002 Edele hit the bottle to escape and fell out with best friend and bandmate Sinead.

But it was watching Keavy deteriorate to the brink of suicide that was the hardest thing to handle.

The mum-of-three said: “I drank a bit and I ended up hating Sinead for a time. But I wasn’t depressed like my sister.

“She was so down she didn’t want to wake up in the morning. It was so horrible to see my sister like that. Even thinking about it now makes me emotional.

“I wouldn’t allow myself to think she might kill herself but I know that is what she wanted.

“She wanted one day to not wake up – but of course I never wanted that.

“She just couldn’t find herself or work out who she was.

“Americans see a therapist like going to the dentist and I think we should.”

Talking about a rumoured second series of The Big Reunion, Edele said: “I’ve heard they are considering filming the tour and making a second series.

“I would love to do it. I would also consider a new album – but only if people wanted one.”